Saturday, November 15, 2008

After more than a decade of planning, cost overruns and construction setbacks, Monroe County officials unveiled the new $18.1 million Freeman Justice Center Friday.

The theme of the ribbon-cutting could have been "a long time coming." The courthouse has been unofficially open for the past three weeks.

"It's been a long, complicated process," said Monroe County Commissioner Mario Di Gennaro. "It took us longer than we would have liked, but now that it's finished, it's a beautiful building and we really needed it."

Newly elected Circuit Court Judge Tegan Slaton said the public "finally has a courthouse they can be proud of."

The Freeman Justice Center has six courtrooms as well as jury assembly rooms, larger jury boxes, and state-of-the-art sound systems, said Circuit Court Judge Mark Jones.

Construction of the new four-story courthouse, which was scheduled to open July 30, was projected to cost $4 million when it was proposed more than a decade ago.

The price ballooned to $8 million in the late 1990s. The cost rose again to $13.8 million when the county approved the contractor's bid. Cost overruns stemming from problems with the original architect and security concerns pushed the price tag to $15.9 million. The cost of brickwork and stonework also increased, from $1.9 million to $2.2 million, partially because the contractor had to make more sidewalks and curbs than initially planned.

The Freeman Justice Center is much larger than the building the county initially planned, and is being equipped with post-Sept. 11 security technology that was not deemed necessary when the project first was conceived.

Adding to the costs, the Monroe County Sheriff's Office and 16th Judicial Circuit officials requested design changes and more security cameras.

The county planned to have 14 security cameras, but the number jumped to 24 at the request of law enforcement officials. The county also had to integrate two different security systems into one. The 16th Judicial Circuit kicked in $500,000 for the project.

"I think the biggest change is that when you walk in, there is a more professional atmosphere," said Circuit Court Judge Wayne Miller. "I feel like that's the biggest change."

alinhardt@keysnews.com